Safe and Sound
by gnrkrystle
Summary: Songfic. Hermione and Draco form a relationship in the middle of war. One-shot. Mild M rating.


**Safe and Sound**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters, nor do I own the song. I make no profit here.**

**A/N: I rarely (read: never) write songfics, but when I heard this song, the idea hit me in the head like a bludger. It might seem rushed, but its intended to be a 'snapshot' of their lives/relationship. In case you are not familiar with the song, it's the latest from Taylor Swift (feat. The Civil Wars), called 'Safe and Sound' for the new Hunger Games movie. It's really a beautiful song. You should check it out. Hope you like the story. So, without further ado...**

* * *

**I remember tears streaming down your face**

**When I said, I'll never let you go**

**When all those shadows almost killed your light**

**I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone**

**But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight**

Her brow furrowed as she watched him, bent over the bathroom sink, crying his eyes out. Draco Malfoy. She was transfixed by the sight, and yet it all seemed to come together at once. The haunted look in his eyes; the pained expression he got whenever he was forced out of his own thoughts; his pale and malnourished figure, they all seemed to add up.

"Malfoy," she said, finding her last bits of Gryffindor courage.

He whipped around quickly, his eyes filled with shock and anger at being disturbed in such an embarrassing act of crying in the girls loo.

"What do you want m-mudblood." The words that once hurt had no meaning anymore. She could see...she could tell, he didn't mean them. Not really. That realization hit her like a ton of bricks as well.

She came closer, and when he didn't back away, she breathed a sigh of relief before moving into his personal space. Placing a firm hand on his shoulder to pull him up from his hunched over position, she looked him in the eyes. "I know, Malfoy." she said.

"Oh yeah?" His fire was back. "And what do you plan to do about it?" He challenged.

"I want to help you." She said, and his looked up at her with staggering confusion.

"You can't help me." He spat. "Go back to the Golden boy, and leave me alone."

"No." Hermione said, forcing him to look into her eyes again.

"It's you that's been trying to kill Dumbledore all year. Harry assumed, but..." her sentence trailed off. The truth was, she had never wanted to believe Draco was a Death Eater. The gnawing feeling in her gut that rose up every time she'd considered that Draco could be in that deep, wouldn't let her see reason. As his tear stained face stared back at her, she knew she'd been wrong.

His form slumped against the sink as he took on the defeated stance he'd perfected over the course of their sixth year. "Draco...why?" She used his first name for the first time, and his shocked them both.

"It's not like I had a choice, is it?" He snapped again. "My father pissed off the Dark Lord, I had to. He-He was going to kill my mother...and me."

Draco added the last bit, as if he didn't find his own life valuable anymore. Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes as she thought of how such an arrogant boy had been reduced to viewing himself in such a worthless light. "I'll help you, Draco, but you have to..."

"No!" He cried. "I know what you are going to say. Don't you think I've considered going to Dumbledore a hundred times. I don't want to be a murderer. I certainly don't want to murder the more powerful wizard in existence. But I have to." Hermione was shocked that he actually opened up to her, but her heart fluttered as she realized, she was probably the only person he ever had.

Coming closer, she placed her hand on his shoulder again, pushing him to the ground as she moved to sit next to him. He didn't even stop her as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "I can help you. Dumbledore can help you, and your mother. Please, Draco."

"What do you care, Granger?" He asked, his voice more broken than she'd ever heard it. "It's not like I have any chance in hell of killing him. He's safe."

"I know that," Hermione said, honestly. She never believed Draco had a shot in hell of completing his task. She had her suspicions that Voldemort knew that too, and this was all an elaborate ploy to kill all of the Malfoy's for Draco's failure. "Do you want help?"

Draco's choked sob, startled her as he turned to her, wrapping both arms tightly around her. "I don't want to do this," he whispered against her ear. "I...I am sick of this."

Hermione pulled him close and rocked him like a baby, and was shocked when he let her. This was not the boy she remembered as a child. He'd seen so much, done so many things that she'd rather not think about. He was a man now; a man forced to make a decision, and scared to death to do it.

"I'm here. I'll never give up on you, but you have to go to Dumbledore. It's the only way to save you, and your mother." She said, soothingly into his ear.

It was several long minutes before Draco extracted himself from her embrace, all proof of his tears dried on his face. "Okay," he finally said. "But, will you come with me?"

Hermione smiled brightly at him. "Of course."

* * *

**Just close your eyes**

**The sun is going down**

**You'll be alright**

**No one can hurt you now**

**Come morning light**

**You and I'll be safe and sound**

"Tonight's the night," Draco said, his voice rough. Hermione could tell he was trying to hold in his emotions. "I don't know if I can do this."

"You can, Draco." Hermione assured him, leaning against the arm of the couch that appeared in 'their' room, in the Room of Requirement. They'd met there nearly every evening since she'd found him, a crying mess, in Moaning Myrtle's loo. Neither of them discussed why they felt the need to be near each other until one night when a heated argument about elf rights turned into heated kisses and caresses.

"I'm not an actor, Hermione. They will know." He said, wringing his hands. Hermione stopped him with her own, pulling him into her.

"No, Draco. But you and Professor Snape have been working on all of this. What are you really worried about?" She asked, cocking her head to the side as she brushed his hear from his eyes.

"After tonight, I'll be gone. I'll be deep in Death Eater territory, and I won't be coming back." Draco said, swallowing hard.

"Yes, you will." Hermione said. "You have your job, and I have mine. We'll meet when it's over."

Draco sighed and turned away. "What if you don't want to meet when it's over. You don't know what I've done...what I'll be expected to do. Just a few months ago, you were a 'mudblood to me." He spat the word out like it was poison.

Hermione frowned. "Do you see me that way now?"

"Of course not," He said irritably. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Draco, you were raised to believe that, but you turned your back on it. If last night was any indicator, my blood no longer disgusts you," she smirked as she recalled the memory of him, between her thighs, making her whisper his name over and over like a prayer.

"Why are you so forgiving? Why do you believe in the best of me?" He asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Because, you are a good man. It just took you a while to figure it out." She said. "Now, since tonight is the last night we have together, come here."

Draco complied, moving his arms around her again. "Just forget about all of that for now, and be with me." Hermione whispered. A lush bed appeared in the center of the room at her words, and Draco's eyes darkened.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"I need it as much as you do," she replied, leading him to the bed.

His movements were stiff and nervous, and she wondered how she could have such an affect on him. He was more experienced than she, she was sure, but he was touching her as if he were a blushing virgin. she smiled up at him, cupping his cheek and she undressed him, slowly.

"I don't deserve you," Draco whispered as he pulled her clothes off.

"Yes, you do," Hermione said, pulling him down on top of her when they were both naked. "Don't think about anything but this,' she said, wrapping her legs around him. "You and I are going to be alright."

He moaned as he adjusted his hips to slip inside her wet heat and they both sighed with completion. Draco never felt safer than inside her, and he wondered how he could ever have cared about her blood before. She'd been his savior, his confidant, and his best friend. In such a short time, she'd made herself the center of his universe, and he wondered how he ever got by without her in his life.

They were the only ones, besides a few select Order members, that knew he'd changed sides. He needed her, and he'd never understand why she was so forgiving of him, but he was too selfish to give her up.

"Yes, Draco," she moaned, pulling his face back down to hers smothering his lips in hers as he thrust deeper into her. It was heaven, and he wished he could live inside her for eternity. He'd never felt like this before. Not with anyone.

He felt his pleasure closing in on him, and knew she wasn't far behind. "I love you, Hermione," he moaned, as his last coherent thought was pushed from his mind as he fell over the precipice of pleasure.

Hermione felt tears fall from her eyes as she heard him tell her he loved her, but her climax was fast approaching and she gripped his shoulders tightly as she came hard, and long around him. "Draco..." she breathed, shuddering against his heated body.

He collapsed next to her and pulled her into his arms. "Draco," she said, when she found her voice. He looked down at her, and she up at him. "I love you, too. I don't know how or when it happened, but I do."

He smiled at her, and kissed the tip of her nose in a gesture that was very un-Malfoy like. "Just be safe, Hermione. When this war is over, we'll find each other."

"I promise." Hermione said.

* * *

**Don't you dare look out your window**

**Darling, everything's on fire**

**The war outside our door keeps raging on**

**Hold onto this lullaby**

**Even when the music's gone**

**Gone**

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Hermione screamed as another 'crucio' hit her. She'd tried to keep it together. She begged her body not to cry out as Bellatrix tortured her, but she felt every cell in her body on fire and couldn't hold it back.

"Tell me where you got it, you filthy Mudblood," the crazy woman bellowed, and she was barely able to say her name, let alone where she'd gotten the Sword of Gryffindor...not that she would have told her if she could speak.

"I-w-w-we f-f-found it." She finally stuttered out, her body trembling. It took every ounce of her will not to look over at Draco who was barely keeping it together in the corner of the room. She wanted to cry for him. He didn't need to see this. It wasn't fair. He was on her side, but the only way to make sure they both stayed alive was for him to pretend otherwise. Snape was clear that Draco must not blow his cover, no matter what.

Draco, for his part, was seriously considering it. He was working up the courage to do it since he'd seen Hermione dragged into his childhood home by that disgusting Snatcher, Potter and Weasley following behind. Then, when his aunt began to torture her, it was all he could do not to reach out and apparate her out of there immediately.

It was the first he'd seen her since their last night together. She looked beautiful, even if she had lost weight and was covered in dirt. Merlin knew what she was doing all this time, but he thought she was beautiful anyway.

"Please," Hermione cried out, unable to take another bout of the cruciatus. "I swear, we f-found it."

"Liar!" Bellatrix called, pulling a dagger out of her boot. "Let's see if this can loosen that filthy tongue."

Hermione saw Draco moving in the corner of her eye and locked eyes with him. "No!" he eyes told him. No matter what, he had to maintain his cover. She couldn't let him get himself killed for her. The anguish she saw staring back at her was enough to break her.

"Please!" She pleaded, tears streaming from her eyes and she wasn't sure if she was talking to him, or Bellatrix who had begun carving into the flesh of her left arm...right where Draco had his own mark.

Her eyes stayed on Draco's and she spoke to him through them, hoping to give him some comfort as his deranged aunt carved her masterpiece into Hermione.

He gripped the edge of the chair in front of him until his knuckles turned white. His breathing was ragged and he hated himself. He hated himself more than he ever had before. It was his family doing this to her, in his home, because people believed that ridiculous nonsense the he had once believed. His eyes never strayed from hers as he tried to give her his strength and love through their gaze.

And then, suddenly she was gone. It happened so fast. One minute she was screaming and crying, and the next minute Weasley had her about the waist, hoisting her away from his Aunt, and Potter had taken his wand from him, not as if he'd put up much of a fight for it.

With a loud pop and a shriek from Bella, Hermione was gone, and he thanked whatever God there was that she was out of harm's way.

* * *

**Just close your eyes**

**The sun is going down**

**You'll be alright**

**No one can hurt you now**

**Come morning light**

**You and I'll be safe and sound**

"Harry, please!" Hermione cried, cradling Draco's blonde head in her arms. "He's on our side."

"Hermione, how can you be sure?" Harry asked, stumbling over the rubble of the castle to get to her. Voldemort had just been killed and the last thing he wanted was a fight with Hermione.

Draco shuddered in her arms. "Shhh, Draco. Everything will be alright. It's over. It's over and we ca be free. Just hold on."

Harry eyed her suspiciously. "It's Malfoy, Hermione. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Help me with him." Hermione huffed, trying to lift Draco on his own. "We can't go to the Hospital wing until I know the truth is out. I don't want them carting him off to Azkaban.

"It's where I belong," Draco wheezed.

"Shut it, you." Hermione snapped, turning back to her best friend. "Please, Harry, help me with him. If you ever trusted me about anything, you have to trust me about this. Draco is and has been on our side. I...I need your help."

Harry was still confused, but he did trust Hermione. "What do you need?" He asked, finally.

"The-boy-who-lived is helping me," Draco choked out, blood dripping down his chin.

"Draco, don't make me hurt you," Hermione warned, clutching him tighter. Turning back to Harry, she sniffled before giving her instructions. "I need a blood replenishing potion, some pepper-up, and a bezoar, just in case."

"Hermione, are you sure?" Harry asked again, looking down at Draco.

"YES!" Hermione snapped, "Go! Please!" The tears in her eyes were enough to move Harry into action. When he was out of sight, Hermione doubled over Draco's prone body. He'd passed out from pain and lack of blood, and she prayed he'd be able to make it long enough for her to fix him.

* * *

**Just close your eyes**

**You'll be alright**

**Come morning light,**

**You and I'll be safe and sound...**

Hermione was curled up to his side in the Hospital wing, tears all dried up. It had been days and still, nothing. Finally, after extracting her memories, McGonagall agreed to allow Draco to be placed with the rest of the Order members in the Hospital wing.

Ron had been apoplectic, but Harry calmed him down some. Still, he wasn't speaking to her. She was sad for that, but couldn't feel much more than total anxiety over the state of her lover. Draco's injuries were healed, his blood was replenished, and still...nothing.

"Wake up, please, Draco." Hermione cooed into his ear. "The war is over now. You're safe."

He didn't move. "Please," she begged again. "I'm here. They've given you a full pardon. You can wake up. He can't hurt you anymore. It's just us."

Though her eyes were dry she began to sniffle. She didn't know how much longer she could take this. squeezing his hand she kissed his jaw. "I love you, Draco."

She laid her head back in the crook of his neck and waited again. She'd barely left his side once she'd assured that he was safe from prison. "Hermione," Harry's voice called from the doorway. "We're going to dinner now, would you like to..."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm fine Harry."

"Hermione," he sighed, "Maybe you should be prepared for the fact that he might not wake up." He hated saying it, but it wasn't looking good.

"No!" she snapped. "He'll wake up," she said, determined. "He has to."

"Okay," Harry said, not wanting to start a row. "Well, I'll have the house elves bring you something." Hermione just nodded absently, and laid her head on Draco's chest.

She hummed softly to him, a song from her childhood as she willed him to wake up. Occasionally she felt him twitch, and her heart would leap, but still he didn't wake. An hour had passed before Winky showed up with dinner. Though, she doubted that she could touch it.

"Hermione Granger, letting house elves wait on her?" a tired and groggy voice rumbled from next to her. Her heart raced as she looked down at her bedmate. His eyes were opened and there was a hint of a smirk on his lips. Her mouth dropped open in surprise before she flung her arms around him.

"Draco!" She cried.

"Can't-breath," he choked. She immediately backed off.

"Winky," she called, out to the elf who was still by their side. "Go get Madam Pomfrey." Turning back to Draco, she looking him over. "How are you? Are you okay? What hurts? How do you feel?"

Draco smiled lazily up at her. "Now? I feel safe and sound."

_End._


End file.
